Ceremonial Shield

Round shield, conical, made of spiralling thin Rotang liana stems. The surface is bound in silver thread mesh fabric, in bushy floral motifs. On the fabric, there are densely laid out silver plate ornaments, gilded, embossed and chiselled, with jade plates with tiny rubies and sapphires encrusted on them. Turquoises in mounts surround them. The central ornament (of thick plate) is a large round jade plaque in the middle of which a large red gemstone is placed. The composition is graceful, asymmetric, arranged in a triangular design. A decorative slat runs all along the rim. The bottom is lined with crimson velvet, with ten bronze ringlets set in rosettes, and a string passes through them.

This is another kalkan attributed to the war booty Crown Field Hetman Mikołaj Hieronim Sieniawski (1645-83) brought home from the Vienna relief expedition. Described in the Temple of the Sibyl Inventory in Puław